In January 1995 two Patrician Brothers took up residence on Thursday Island: Brothers Paul O'Keeffe and Joseph Guidera. Paul as principal of the Catholic primary school there and Joseph as a monastery, school, and parish handyman. In late 2005 it was decided that the Brothers should withdraw from Thursday Island (T.I.) as there seemed to be no viable ministry the Brothers could be involved in.

The move to Thursday Island, so far away from where the Brothers are in Australia and Papua New Guinea, was an attempt by the Brothers to take up ministry to the indigenous people of Australia.  A great deal of research, correspondence, discussion, and prayer, went into the final decision to move to T.I.

Over the eleven years of the Brothers' stay, five Brothers had lived and ministered there full-time with many other Brothers lending a helping hand for a few months here and a few months there. The longest serving Brother was Br Cronan O'Meara: he was there for two stints totalling nine years - in-between he was in Papua New Guinea. Br Benedict was a serious 'part-timer' spending a few months there each year from 1998 - 2004.

Full-Timers Br Paul O'Keeffe: 1995 - 1998 Br Joe Guidera: 1995 - 1998 & 2001 Br Cronan O'Meara: 1996 - 2000 & 2002 - 2005 Br Thomas Rice: 1998 - 2004 Br Patrick O'Neill: 2005 Part-Timers: Brs Benedict Olsen, Mark Ryan, Basil Downey, Norbert Yeku, Philip Mulhall, Malachy Corbert RIP. Visitors: Too many to mention. Photo: (L-R) Brs Paul O'Keeffe, Joseph Guidera, Cronan O'Meara

The Brothers participated in the parish there in any way they could: school principal, teacher, chaplains, parish ministers, retreat co-ordinators, youth worker, catechists, fete co-ordinator,....

Paul with students of Sacred Heart Primary in 1996	Thomas with T.I. senior citizens spreading some good cheer